Car-coupling



(No Model.)

R. Y. MITCHELL;

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 1 1 17/8175. I i V x llNrrED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

RANSOM MITCHELL, OF FINDLAY, OHIO.

I CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,632, dated' December 6, 1892.

Application filed September 3, 1892. Serial No. 444,967. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANsoM Y. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Findlay, in the county of Hancock and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Car- Coupling, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive car-coupling which will be adapted to couple automatically and readily guide a link into the draw-head in proper position for coupling and which may be readily uncoupled and which will obviate the necessity of persons going between cars when uncoupling or coupling.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of two draw-heads,

showing the position of the parts when couof the catch adapted to be employed in con-.

nection with the ordinary link. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a modification of link. Fig. 7 is a detail view of another form of link.

Like numerals of reference indicate corre sponding parts in all the figures of the drawmgs.

1 designates a conical draw-head having a flaring month and terminating at its rear end ina hollow draw-head 2, which is provided with a cap-plate 3, provided on its lower face with a longitudinal boss 4, fitting snugly between the sides of the draw-bar and having its front end beveled. The opposite sides of the hollow draw-head is provided with vertical recesses 5, adapted to receive parallel sides 6 of a vertically-movable catch 7 and terminating at their upper and lower ends in openings of the top and bottom of the draw-head to permit the vertical movement of the catch. The draw-head is provided at its rear end clined portion 9, which causes the end 10 of.

a link 11 to drop and to allow the same to be securely engaged by the catch 7. The catch 7 has its lower end bifurcated to form the opposite parallel sides 6, and the upper Wall of the bifurcation is inclined and provided at the rear edge with a slot 12, adapted to receive the narrow rod portion or body of the link 1 l to permit the annular shoulder formed by the head 10 to engage the rear face of the catch. The end 10 of the link is approximately pear-shaped and is adapted to readily engage the inclined upper wall of the bifurcation of the catch to raise 'the' latterand cause the same to engage it, whereby the cars are coupled.

l3 and a block 14:, arranged at the front or outer end of the spring and provided with a stem or cylindrical lug fitting in the end of the spring; and when the cars come together for coupling the jar or shock upon the link is taken up by the cushion to prevent fracture of the latter.

In Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings is illustrated a modification of the catch adapted especially for receiving a different construction of link to enable cars provided with the improved car-coupling to couple with those having the ordinary pin-and-link coupling. This form of catch is provided in the bifurcation between the opposite sides with a depending triangular flange 15, which has its front edge inclined and which is adapted to enter the opening of the link and couple the latter.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction and that it obviates the necessity of persons going between cars when the latter are being coupled or uncoupled.

The conical draw-heads, which have flaring months, are adapted to readily direct a link and guide the same through the openings in the rear end of the draw-heads and they permit free lateral or upward movement of the cars and provide a flexible coupling adapted to permit cars to readily turn the curves and allow them all the movement necessary or incident to running.

In Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings is illustrated a link 16, which consists of a rod or body provided at each end with an enlarged head having an opening adapted to be engaged by the said triangular flange and also adapted to be engaged by the coupling-pin of a draw-head employing the ordinary pin-andlink car-coupling to enable theimproved carcoupling to be connected with the latter class of car-couplings.

Fig. 7 shows another form of link which is provided at one end with the head 10, adapted to be engaged by the catch 7, and which is provided at its other end with a pin-opening adapted to receive an ordinary coupling-pin to enable cars having the sliding catch '7 to be coupled with cars provided with the ordinary pin-and-link coupling.

The link 11 preparatory to coupling is supported near its inner end on the bottom of the draw-head near the inner end thereof and a fulcrum formed by the inclined portion 9 and the outer inclined portion of the conical draw-head, whereby the latch will bear upon the link in rear of the fulcruming-point to hold the link horizontally in proper position to enter the draw-head of another car to insure automatic coupling.

What I claim is- 1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a conical draw-head having an opening at its rear end and terminating in a hollow drawbar and having the bottom thereof inclined back of said opening and forming a fulcrum and a vertically-movable catch mounted in the draw-bar at the rear end of the draw-head and having a bifurcated lower portion engaging the link in rear of the fulcrum and straddling the link and adapted to hold the latter elevated, substantially as described.

'2. In a car-coupling, the combination of a conical draw-head having an opening at its rear end and terminating in a hollow drawbar provided with opposite ways and having an inclined portion in its bottom, aplate forming the top of the draw-bar and provided on its lower face with a longitudinal boss fitting snugly between the sides of the drawbar and having its front end beveled, a verticallymovable catch having its lower end bifurcated to form opposite sides arranged in said ways, and a link adapted to be engaged by the catch, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RANSOM Y. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGERS, GEO. O. SHOEMAKER. 

